Department of Agriculture February 3, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are advising the public of our determination that the Monsanto Company corn designated as transformation event LY038, which has been genetically engineered to express a lysine-insensitive dihydrodipicolinate synthase (cDHDPS) enzyme to allow for the accumulation of higher levels of lysine in the germ of the seed, is no longer considered a regulated article under our regulations governing the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms. Our determination is based on our evaluation of data submitted by the Monsanto Company in their petition for a determination of nonregulated status, our analysis of other scientific data, and comments received from the public in response to a previous notice announcing the availability of the petition for nonregulated status and an environmental assessment. This notice also announces the availability of our written determination and our finding of no significant impact.

The Manti-La Sal National Forest (Forest) will exercise its option to adjust the land management plan revision process from compliance with the 1982 planning regulations, to conform to new planning regulations adopted in January 2005. This adjustment will have the following effects: 1. The 2005 Planning Rule redefines forest plans to be more strategic and flexible to better facilitate adaptive management and public collaboration. 2. The 2005 Planning Rule focuses more on the goals of ecological, social, and economic sustainability and less on prescriptive means of producing goods and services. 3. The Responsible Official who will approve the final plan will be the Forest Supervisor instead of the Regional Forester. 4. The Forest will establish an Environmental Management System (EMS) (per ISO 14001:2004(E)) prior to approval of the revised forest plan. 5. The emphasis of public involvement will be a collaborative effort between the public and the Forest Service to incorporate the most desirable management options into a single broadly supported management direction package that will become the forest plan. 6. Administrative review will change from a post-decision appeals process to a pre-decision objection process. 7. Because the Forest will not be preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for revision of the forest plan, interim management strategies will be developed for the fourteen river segments identified as eligible for inclusion in the Wild and Scenic River (WSR) System. The suitability of these river segments for inclusion in the WSR System will be addressed in an appropriate environmental document after the revised forest plan is approved. 8. Because an environmental impact statement will not be prepared for this revision, oil and gas leasing decisions will not be made. Instead, the revised forest plan will include general guidelines for mineral operations, including oil and gas, which will be considered as appropriate for areas currently available for leasing to protect resource values while providing appropriate access for exploration and development activities. Decisions regarding areas administratively available for lease and lease stipulations will be addressed in a separate environmental document(s) prepared either concurrently with the revision process or following approval of the revised forest plan. Public Involvement: Public participation and collaboration (including more than 34 public meetings) has been ongoing. Current information and details of public participation opportunities are posted on the Forest Web site at https://www.fs.fed.us/r4/mantilasal/ projects. Contact Linda Crawley at (435) 636-3558, or e-mail lcrawley@fs.fed.us to be added to the forest plan revision mailing list.

The Secretary of Agriculture is considering the renewal of the charter of the Lake Tahoe Basin Federal Advisory Committee, chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, to provide advice to the Secretary of Agriculture on implementing the terms of the Federal Interagency Partnership on the Lake Tahoe Region. Nominations of persons to serve on the LTFAC are invited.

The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Helicopter Use in Wilderness. The Alaska Region and Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station are proposing to inventory 913 plots in wilderness areas over a 10-year span, with about 540 plots accessed by helicopter and 373 plots accessed by day hiking. Inventory protocol includes completing 10 percent of the plots each year. This means that approximately 91 plots will be inventoried each year. Of these 91 plots, about 54 plots will be accessed by helicopter. Each inventory plot accessed by helicopter will require two landings. In any given year, these 54 plots will spread out across 7.8 million acres in 19 wilderness areas on the Tongass National Forest and one wilderness study area on the Chugach National Forest.

The Lake Tahoe Basin Federal Advisory Committee will hold a meeting on March 2, 2006, at the U.S. Forest Service Office, 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150. This Committee, established by the Secretary of Agriculture on December 15, 1998 (64 FR 2876), is chartered to provide advice to the Secretary on implementing the terms of the Federal Interagency Partnership on the Lake Tahoe Region and other matters raised by the Secretary.